As It Is
by worthallyourgalleons
Summary: Collection of my bethyl one-shots because I didn't know where else to put them.
1. Sticky Situations

**I warn you now the vast majority of these titles will be shitty and if I can come up with a pun, chances are the title will be a pun. A bad pun at that. The majority of these are disgustingly sweet and kinda just straight up crappy writing too, honestly. I just didn't know what to do with them.**

**Disclaimer: These nerds are not my creation.**

"No, absolutely not. Daryl please, no!" Beth pleaded, whirling around so that her hair was out of his reach. After a rough day at the daycare, she found gum in her hair which she was sure probably ended up there somewhere between Jackson pushing over Kyle and Sophie throwing up. She had frantically tried everything she could think of and then some. She had tried peanut butter and ice and cooking oil and baking soda and by the time Daryl came home she was on the verge of frustrated tears. She told him about the gum and all her efforts and when he examined the tangled spot of hair, he confirmed what she feared the most.

"I think we might have to cut it out." He'd said hesitantly.

"There has to be another way." Beth said desperately. Her hair was one of her favorite features. She had always had her long golden blonde hair and she adored it. There was no way she was going to let anyone take a pair of scissors and mess with it. "Its _my hair_."

"Listen, it ain't coming out another way." Daryl told her softly. "Let's go over to that barber shop in town and see if they can get it out without having to cut it much."

She nodded in agreement and Daryl stepped forward to wipe away the tear that had run down her cheek before hugging her to him.

"It'll be okay, Beth."

They walked into the near empty barber shop together, Beth clinging to Daryl's hand like a lifeline. The other clenched around the hem of her shirt to keep it from shaking, and to the untrained eye it wouldn't be but Daryl caught the tremble in it and gripped her hand back reminding her to breathe as he guided her to one of the many open seats.

"I'll be right back." He told her and walked off to the counter to put her name in the waiting book and talk to the man at the counter.

"What can I do for you today, sir? Your hair is looking a bit scraggly but we can fix that right up for you." The man's cheerfulness fell flat at the glare Daryl fixed him with.

"Ain't nothin' wrong with my hair." He ground out. The man opened his mouth, probably to squeak out an apology considering the way he was shaking his head frantically, but Daryl pushed on with his explanation. "See, my girlfriend over in that chair there, she's got gum in her hair. Problem is, she loves her hair. _I_ love her hair. And if a single hair on her head is cut that don't need to be, we're gonna have an even bigger problem, you got that?"

"Yes sir, of course. You can bring her right back and I'll do my absolute best, sir." The barber stuttered and Daryl nodded once before walking back over to Beth. She forced a smile and stood up.

"'S gonna be okay, Greene." He murmured leading her back to the chair that the barber stood at setting up.

"I know." She said though she was shaking worse than before. Daryl knew she was trying to convince herself more than him and his chest ached for her. Beth was still gripping his hand as she sat in the chair and the barber finished setting up. He worked in silence as Daryl and Beth sat there holding hands. It wasn't more than a few minutes before the man replaced his tools and picked up a mirror.

"All done. You wanna see?" He offered moving back behind Beth to position the mirror when she nodded. The moment they could see the back of her head in the mirror, Daryl watched the tension seep from her and the relief that took over. He felt it leave himself too. Her hair was just the same, only having to lose a few strands of hair to the gum, but it definitely wasn't noticeable.

"Thank you so much!" She gushed, beaming at the barber in the mirror. He glanced at Daryl who nodded his approval before he looked back to Beth.

"Of course, ma'am." He said. He lead the couple back over to the counter by the door.

"How much?" Beth asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing, ma'am. Free of charge. Wasn't that big a job and only took a few minutes anyway." He said and Beth grinned and thanked the man again before they left.

Beth was beyond relieved as she and Daryl walked up the street back towards their apartment building.

"Told you it'd be okay." Daryl said as Beth slipped her hand into his.

"I'm sorry I was acting so silly over a little bit of hair." She replied running her free hand through it before she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"'S fine, I think I would have cried a bit too if they couldn't fix it." He admitted, squeezing her hand where it rested in his. She grinned up at him as they walked.

"Wouldn't have been so bad if they couldn't though, would it?" Beth asked. She thought about all the hardships they'd faced so far, and how much bigger they'd been than her getting that gum stuck in her hair.

"I don't know, not sure I could stand to stay with you if your hair weren't so great." Daryl teased and Beth lifted her head and slipped her hand from his before giving him a playful shove away from her.

"Shut up, Dixon. You know you love me for more than my hair." She protested as he gravitated back to her side to grab her hand again.

"Course I do, Greene." He said. "Love everything about you and I wouldn't let you go even if you didn't have any hair at all."

Beth pulled him to a stop and reached up on her toes to kiss him. He ran his fingers through her hair as she locked her arms around his neck. If there was one thing Beth was sure of, it was that she was more than thankful that she had Daryl Dixon at her side. She knew no matter what happened, he'd be there with her and they'd face all of their problems, big and small, together.


	2. Poultry Problems

**Honestly this title just sucks. I'm sorry.**

Daryl really had to learn how to tell Beth no. That woman just had too much control over him, or as his brother would say, he was whipped. He was wound so tightly around that girl's perfect, soft, little fingers that he couldn't help but do whatever the hell she asked him to. That was how he found himself standing outside the hen house at the Greene family farm, chickens perched on his shoulder, and chicks hopping around eating the spilled seed from the bucket he'd dropped. He had no idea how these little birds had gotten the jump on him. All he'd done was lean over to throw the seed down, and suddenly they were settling themselves on him. The more he wriggled and tried to get them off, the deeper they dug into his shirt. Oh, he'd get Beth back for this.

A giggle drew his attention to the blonde in question as she walked out of the barn where she had been brushing the horses. Her giggles turned quickly into full blown laughter as she got closer and saw the chicks pecking around his feet, and the annoyed look on his face.

"Oh my goodness! I'm- I'm sorry!" She panted through her laughter. "You look so ridiculous!"

"Bethany Anne Greene! You come help get these demon birds off me!" Daryl said indignantly.

Beth sobered a bit and closed the space between them with a grin. She easily dislodged the birds, smiling the whole time as he halfheartedly glared at her. Daryl caught a glimpse of the pond behind her, just a few yards away and smirked. "You know what's really funny, Greene?"

Beth looked at him wide eyed, following his line of sight and shook her head backing away. "Daryl Dixon, don't you dare."

"Gotta get you back somehow, don't I?" He asked matching her steps back with a few steps of his own towards her. Beth turned to run, but he caught her easily and lifted her up into his arms as she squealed and laughed.

"Daryl, don't!" She protested, and if he thought she really minded he would have set her down in a heartbeat, but he knew she didn't. He approached the edge of the pond and walked around it and onto the dock that lead out deeper into the water. Beth had given up fighting and decided to cling to him tightly instead.

"You ready?" He asked once they'd reached the end of the dock. She grimaced and nodded, and with that he tossed her forwards into the water. Beth popped back up with a grin a moment later and Daryl couldn't help but smile down at her. God, was she beautiful.

"Help me up." Beth said, reaching up her hand towards him, and really he should have noticed the mischievous look that danced in her eyes but he was too busy memorizing the way her soaked white shirt clung to her body as he offered her his hand. Beth gave a tug and he fell forwards into the water next to her and came up sputtering, only to find Beth already swimming towards the shore. He followed her and met up with her on land, and pulled her against him. She reached up on her toes to press her lips to his, and he reveled in the feeling of her, and her smile against his mouth.

"_What the heck is going on out here_?"

Daryl and Beth moved apart, but only slightly as Hershel hobbled down from the house.

"We were just swimming, daddy." Beth said, batting her eyelashes sweetly at her father.

"That what you kids call it these days?" Hershel asked with a glare, though they both knew he wasn't really upset with them. The couple merely grinned and shrugged in response. The old man shook his head with a small smile of his own. "You two had better make sure you get the chickens back in the coop."

Hershel left back up to the house and Daryl turned back to Beth, pecking her once more on the forehead before she pulled away.

"You know I ain't done with you yet?" Daryl said, following her back towards the coop and the barn.

"Oh, I know." She grinned. "I know."


	3. Of Forgotten Keys and Vending Machines

**I'm so ****not**** sorry. ****This title is shit.**

Beth had hit a lot of lows in her life, but she was sure this was one of her lowest. It was late, probably around one in the morning if she had to guess. Not only had she forgotten her keys to her apartment back at the farm, but she'd been starving and went to the vending machine to grab some food when she'd gotten her arm stuck inside. She wished she hadn't been so stupid, but she had really wanted those chips. She was hungry and exhausted.

So here she was sitting on the ground, arm stuck in the vending machine at a ridiculous hour. Beth let out a frustrated cry and began to wiggle her arm again, but stopped with a yelp of pain when she twisted too far in the wrong direction. This was humiliating. She could only imagine how bad it'd be when someone found her and rescued her.

"Beth Greene? What the fuck are you doing, girl?" Beth snapped her head up to the source of the voice and never wanted to be invisible more in her life. Daryl Dixon stood a few feet away with a smirk, though she could see the concern in his eyes. Concern for her sanity, Beth was sure. He'd always seemed to run into her at the worst times, but he hadn't ever treated her like she was crazy, like she was sure anyone else would have considering the unfortunate events that usually surrounded their encounters, this one included. Not to mention her growing crush on the man.

"I forgot my key at daddy's farm and Frank- you know Frank, right? The janitor?- he went home so I'm locked out for the night. I haven't eaten in hours, so I just came to get some chips but they got stuck and I tried to grab them but now I'm stuck too! And my phone is in my car and-!" Beth cut her rambled explanation short when a chuckled erupted from his lips. She snapped her head up, shocked, and quite a bit offended.

"Daryl Dixon! Are you laughin' at me?" She asked incredulously. His chuckles turned into full blown laughter and he doubled over, finding far too much entertainment for her liking. "This is a serious matter! I am in pain!"

"I'm sorry!" He panted out between bouts of laughter.

"Daryl, please!" Beth pleaded and Daryl sobered up at the pain in her voice. He nodded, still smiling, and crouched down over her to better assess the situation. He nodded again as he leaned closer to her. Suddenly, Beth couldn't find enough air to fill her lungs and she felt her heart race at his close proximity.

Get it together Bethany Anne Greene he's just trying to help you! It doesn't mean anything, she scolded herself.

Daryl took her arm gently in his hand and moved it a little, causing her to flinch and let out a gasp of pain. He loosened his already loose grip in response.

"Okay?" He asked her and she nodded.

"This is so embarrassing." Beth groaned leaning her head back against the machine.

"Y' know this ain't so bad. One time, my brother Merle and I were tresspassin' in some wooded area, but we got caught. We had to slip through this little hole in a fence. I was only 'bout thirteen, so Merle was probably twenty-two or so, not small by any means. I crawled through the hole easy 'nd quick, but Merle, his pants got caught on the way through." Daryl told her, and Beth laughed, predicting where the story was going. He smiled at the sound. "They ripped clean off leavin' him in nothin' but his boxers. Didn't have time t' grab 'em, had to run 'fore the owner of the place got his dogs out after us. Worse part is, we had to walk passed the town's bar to get back to our bikes. That bar was always full, there's no tellin' how many people saw him in nothin' but his underwear that day."

Daryl leaned back away from Beth and she immediately missed his warmth.

"Well, let's go." He said, standing up and offering her his hand. Beth glanced between him and her freed arm, shocked. She accepted his hand and he pulled her easily to her feet.

"Did you tell me that story to distract me?" She asked. She was nearly pressed up against him now, and even in the dimness, she could see his pulse was fluttering just as fast as hers.

"Didn't wanna see you in pain." He muttered with a shrug, his gaze anywhere but on her. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close before pulling back a little.

"Oh Daryl Dixon, I could kiss you!" Beth said with a grin and flushed when she realized what she said.

"Why don't you?" He challenged, and that was all it took for her to close the space between them and press her lips to his.


	4. Highway Leapfrog

**This is trash. I am trash.**

Beth was driving back home from New York in her old beat up car, and Daryl from Pennsylvania on his motor cycle. He'd been, unknowingly to the both of them, behind her for hours when they reached the first toll on the Virginia Toll Road. Beth paid her fee and his and went on her way. He was shocked when he was waved through after being told the woman in front of him had paid for him too. Daryl didn't think he could just let that stand. At the second toll station, he passed her and paid for himself and her. And thus began their game of highway leap frog as they drove through Virginia, much to Beth's annoyance. All she wanted to do was be nice and pay for the man on the bike behind her.

He knew it was her after the first time he passed her. There was no mistaking her for anyone else. No way, no how. She figured it out when they'd both stopped for gas at the end of the toll way. She should have known it was him. Beth hadn't ever met a man with a will as strong as his. If he set his mind to something, there was no way of getting around it, but she knew she was the same. Quite a pair, they were.

It'd been years since she'd seen him. They'd been together a few months, had been friends even longer, when life had forced them their separate ways. Of course, they kept in touch, Beth calling him often to check in and catch up. Now some wicked twist of fate (or maybe it was fate straightening itself back out) had put them back on, quite literally, the same road.

"Daryl Dixon!" Beth said as she approached him where he was putting gas into his bike. He looked up with a smirk that had her stomach doing flips as if it'd been just yesterday that they were kissing goodbye under the stars rather than years. Lord, how she missed him. "Should have known it was you. Can't you ever let anyone do something nice for you?"

"Not a chance, Greene." Daryl replied as he capped off his tank. She grinned up at him as he closed the distance between the two of them and pulled her to him, wrapping her up in his arms.

"You're stubborn." Beth mumbled her complaint into his chest. A chuckle rumbled through his chest and she reveled in the feeling.

"So are you." He shot back easily.

"Yeah, but you love it." She said softly. "There's a diner across the road, and I know you haven't eaten in hours since you were tailing me on the highway all this time. Grab a bite with me?"

They talked their way through dinner, and of course argued over who would pay for said dinner. Soon enough they found themselves in a nearby motel room, frantically relearning one another's bodies, remembering their likes and dislikes. Beth decided as Daryl nipped and sucked his way down her neck that she didn't care if this was fate twisting or untwisting itself. All she cared about was the fact that she was with him, pressed up against him once again.


	5. Of Teddy Bears and Ferris Wheels

Beth couldn't help but grin and roll her eyes as she watched Daryl step back up to the game stand once again, a determined look plastered on his face. He had tried so many times within the last half hour to beat the game, tossing those rings and hooking them over the pins, but he'd just kept missing that last one. It was rigged, he declared the last time, right before a little kid, probably only about seven or eight, had marched up and done with ease just what Daryl had been trying to do for the past thirty minutes. He'd let out a frustrated groan and pulled his wallet back out again, despite Beth's protests that she didn't need him to win her anything, and that he really didn't need to burn through all his cash. She was content just spending time with him, but she had to admit it was adorable watching him do this.

Daryl stepped back and straightened up as he prepared to throw the last ring. They watched it in anticipation as it flew through the air, and both sighed with relief as it landed just where it was supposed to.

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead and take your pick, sure took you long enough." The owner of the stand said, but they'd just ignored him and his sour mood. Beth asked for that teddy bear that reminded her of Daryl, with its cute little black vest. Daryl stepped forward with a proud grin and took the bear before turning back to Beth and offering it to her.

"Thank you." She said, and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.

"'S nothin'." He said, like she had expected. He never really did accept her praise, always brushing it off. She pecked him on the cheek once more with a grin. "Where you wanna go now?"

"Ferris wheel? Its getting dark, so all the lights in town will be on. I bet it'll be beautiful up there!" Beth told him looking dreamily up at the giant spinning wheel on the other side of the fair.

"Yeah, okay." He agreed as she slipped her hand into hers and they walked across the grounds. They stood in line, some times making little comments but mostly just enjoying one another's company. That was one thing she'd loved the most about them. They didn't need to talk all the time. Just being was alright with the both of them.

The line moved forwards and soon enough they were at the front, and slipping into their cart. Beth gripped his hand tighter as they moved towards the sky. The ride halted at the top and she gasped. It had to be one of the prettiest things she'd ever seen.

"Don't you think that's beautiful?" She asked softly.

"Yeah." Daryl murmured in response, and when Beth looked over at him, he was looking at her with a slightly awed look. He leaned over and slipped his arm around her pulling her closer before he pressed his lips to hers. It felt like an eternity before the wheel started turning again and they pulled away.

"Best date ever." Beth whispered breathlessly as they exited the ride, hugging her teddy bear close to her chest and keeping Daryl's fingers intertwined with her own. Daryl couldn't help but nod in agreement. Beth was sure he could have taken her to see what they did with garbage and it still would have been amazing, because anywhere he went was the best place she'd ever been and she couldn't have been happier than when she was with him.

**I didn't expect anyone to read these drabbles, let alone review them, so thank you for those who reviewed. I appreciate it a lot. And my titles are just getting lame now, I apologize.**


	6. Of Halloween and Haunted Houses

Daryl Dixon had been insistent that the last place on earth he had wanted to be that night was inside that haunted house in town, but Dale had insisted (damn near demanded, honestly) that he joined the rest of the guys on their escapade to the annual attraction. He had finally, and reluctantly, agreed to accompany his boss and coworkers. It wasn't that he didn't like the people, he had just abhorred the idea of walking into a dark place and letting people jump out at him for fun. He simply didn't understand why anyone would find entertainment in such a thing.

That was how he had found himself walking cautiously through a dark house, alone, having been separated from the people he'd come with. He wasn't sure if he should be thankful or not. Some of the men had screamed louder than the teenage girls that entered before them. He continued into the next room after peering around the doorway to make sure there wasn't anyone waiting to jump out at him, when /she/ ran into the room, barely avoiding knocking into him.

Daryl knew the girl, of course he did. He wasn't sure there was a person in the entire town that didn't know Beth Greene. Whether she was your neighbor, a friend, friend's daughter, or she was simply that sweetheart who'd stopped you on the street to make sure you'd been having a good day, you knew her somehow. Daryl wasn't sure she'd have it any other way. In his case, she was the adorable blonde neighbor who had insisted on befriending him because "everyone needs a friend, Daryl, and I'm gonna make sure you have at least one!" He didn't mind her near as much as he thought he would.

"Hey Beth?" Daryl muttered quietly, as if she'd startle and run if he was too loud. Beth whirled around to face him. Even in the dark he could tell she was scared, and for some reason, he just wanted to make that fear go away. The thought shocked him.

"Oh goodness, Daryl, its just you." She slumped with relief and took a step towards him.

"Yeah, 's just me." He said. Beth jumped and reached down to grip his hand tightly when the speakers above their head started back up with their scary music. Music that was, in his Daryl's opinion, not scary at all.

"Sorry." She breathed, but didn't let go of him. "Will you help me get outta here? Maggie made me come with her and Glenn, but I lost them."

"Ain't much more rooms anyway, I think. Jus' this one then one more if the layout down here is the same as upstairs." Daryl shrugged and moved across the room.

Beth was at his side still clinging to him, not that he minded. He squeezed her hand back as they left the last room, more than happy to have gotten out of there without incident.

He took a deep breath of the cool fresh air, thankful to breathe something other than the sweaty, fog-filled atmosphere of the house. He glanced over at Beth, noticing that all the tension that she held herself with had disappeared when they left, and he was glad for it.

"Thanks for that." Beth smiled up at him like he'd hung the moon and stars for him, blue eyes shining brightly, and Daryl felt his chest constrict. This girl was going to be the death of him.

"'S nothin'." He grunted, dropping his gaze from hers, and looked at their still-intertwined fingers instead.

"Its not nothing, Daryl. It was real sweet." She said softly. "Thank you."

Daryl snapped his gaze back to hers at that. "You best not tell anyone I ever did anythin' sweet. I got a reputation, you know."

Beth giggled and he smirked when she nodded.

"You wanna go grab a bite to eat?" Daryl offered, not quite ready to let her go.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that." Beth grinned. With that, they started the trek across the town to the local diner, chatting and holding hands as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Suddenly, Daryl wasn't so against going to haunted houses, especially if it resulted in having Beth Greene at his side, smiling brightly, smiling at _him_.


	7. Of Toy Stores and Coffee Shops

_Daryl Dixon didn't know what he'd expected to get out of his day off, but he certainly hadn't factored in that toy store or that girl and that coffee shop. Now though, he couldn't be more thankful._

Daryl Dixon had done a lot of things in his lifetime, but he was sure this had been one of the most ridiculous (and lucky) things so far. He was bored out of his mind, Dale giving him (forcing him to take) the day off. He had nothing to do, and somehow he found himself in the toy store in town. He walked through the aisles pressing buttons and turning on toys before walking off to the next one leaving the previous one beeping or honking or singing or whatever else the toys kids played with did. Yeah, it was definitely a bit of a pathetic form of entertainment. The thing that kept him there wasn't the toys though, it was the gorgeous little blonde woman that trailed him, shutting the toys off with an annoyed look which in turn pulled a smirk from him.

Daryl found it amusing, and maybe even a little cute, though if anyone asked, then no of course he didn't ever think anything or anyone was cute.

He came to the end of the last aisle of toys and was half tempted to go start back up again at the first when that sweet, soft, albeit angry, voice cut over the noise the last few toys he had set off.

"That's like the fiftieth toy you've played with and left on and I swear to all that is good and holy that if you walk away without turning it off I'm gonna-!" Daryl turned to look at the blonde who struggled to find a threat to suffice, and alright, okay, he'd admit it, she really was adorable. Especially the way her annoyance had her face flushed red, and the little furrow in between her eyebrows just topped it off.

"You're gonna what?" He pressed with a quiet laugh.

She huffed in response before rolling her eyes, "Just turn off the damn toys. I get enough of that from five year olds, I don't need it from a grown man!"

"What happened to 'customer's always right' or some shit like that?" Daryl asked, still enjoying riling the girl up.

She laughed at that, but he could tell he wasn't really forgiven yet. "You're right, sir. Of course, sir. Customer's always right, sir."

"Come on, I was just kiddin'." Daryl responded and reached over to silence the last toy that was still making noise.

The woman smiled at the action, and he was shocked at how bright her smile was. She was like the embodiment of sunshine, probably. Even when she was annoyed like that, she was all bright smiles and flowing blonde hair and that sweet voice of hers. Yeah, just like sunshine.

"What's your name, anyway?" He asked, giving her a brief once over. "Thought you people were supposed to have name tags or somethin'."

"Beth Greene." She, Beth, responded extending her hand. Normally he'd have ignored it and waited for the other person to drop their hand, but he couldn't bring himself to annoy her any more. He wanted to see her smiles and hear her laugh. Daryl was sure he'd have gotten a beating for the way he was thinking about this girl. Hell, he was just about ready to beat himself up if he was being honest.

"Daryl Dixon." He said, shaking her hand once before dropping it like he'd been electrocuted. He'd never once like holding anyone's hand before, but he didn't think he'd care too much if he had to hold hers. Daryl internally slapped himself for that one. Beth fidgeted with the watch on her wrist for a moment before looking back up at him.

"So, Mr. Dixon, if you're done being a menace in my store, I'm off in five." She said. "Wanna go grab a coffee or something?"

Daryl was shocked, and he voiced it. "What the hell you wanna go anywhere with me for?"

Beth laughed and shrugged. "I think you're cute. So you want to or what?"

"Yeah." He answered.

Two years later he found himself in that same coffee shop, sipping a drink with Beth Greene across from him, a bit of whipped cream on her nose. He leaned forwards and wiped it away before sitting back in his seat to watch her again. Daryl was sure it was the best choice of his life, going into that store and messing with those toys, because otherwise, he wasn't sure he'd have ever met Beth Greene, and that would have been the biggest tragedy of all.

**I dunno this one is kinda shitty, I think. I appreciate the reviews though, Zombielibrarian and NicoleTheresa1. Never gotten a review in my life, so its sorta cool. Yeah. I dunno. And my titles are just so lame. Enjoy?**


	8. Tickling Terrors

**This one is really short but its cute. I like it, hope you do too. Aaannd we're back to alliterated titles.**

Beth Greene had never been good at keeping secrets, so she was infinitely more proud of herself that she'd managed to keep this one from Daryl for so long. Unfortunately for her, as Daryl stood behind her in their little kitchen he ghosted his hands over her stomach and hips and she couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled over. Beth could imagine the smirk on his face as he did it again, drawing the another burst of laughter from her.

"Daryl, please, I'm trying to cook!" She protested as he repeated the action a third time.

"Why didn't you tell me you're so ticklish?" Daryl asked, pressing up against her from behind.

"Because I knew you'd use it against me!" Beth said with a laugh as he ran his fingers once again over her stomach and hips. "Daryl!"

"I never use anything against you." Daryl said amused and Beth wriggled in his arms.

"Yeah, you do!" She objected while she switched the burner off and pushed the pan back on the stove before turning to face him.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" He challenged raising one eyebrow in the way he knew she thought was adorable because she'd told him once.

"Like that. That eyebrow thing. And you always kiss my neck when you want my attention but I am busy _ignoring you_. So I just know you'll torture me with this!" Beth told him matter-of-factly.

"Didn't know ticklin' was torture, Greene." He smirked and tickled her again causing her to squeal and laugh.

"Daryl, stop!" She laughed pushing his hands away from her sides, only to have them return quickly. Beth freed herself from his hold and scrambled her way into the living room putting the couch between the two of them. The way Daryl stalked forwards similar to the way she'd watched him stalking his prey in the woods had her stomach doing flips.

She wasn't sure what happened, but soon enough she was pinned between him and the couch, kissing him with everything she had. The timer on the stove beeped somewhere in her head, but Beth couldn't pay any mind to it. She couldn't help but think maybe it wasn't so bad Daryl found out she was ticklish if all their tickle fights ended with them pressed up against one another this way.


	9. Saint Patrick's Day

How Beth got dragged into this, she wasn't sure. She found herself sitting at the bar of this pub, probably the most modestly dressed girl in the entire building. Rosita was off doing Lord knows what with God knows who, while she was left to her own devices. Not that this was anything knew. Beth usually ended up deemed the designated driver for her friends, considering she didn't drink all that much. She supposed most college kids used any excuse they could find to get shitfaced, her friends certainly did, but it wasn't really her thing.

"I'm gonna pinch everyone of you fuckers not wearing green!" Beth cringed when she heard her friend declare from the other side of the pub.

"You think she means it?" A rough voice grunted from beside her. Beth swiveled her gaze to the man. He was staring at her with an eyebrow raised up to wear his shaggy hair fell on his forehead just above his blue eyes. He was attractive, she'd give him that much.

"You think she doesn't?" Beth shot back, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Should I be worried then? Ain't got no green on." He said. "Don't much want to be pinched."

Beth's smirk turned into a smile and she fingered the green beads hanging off of her neck before lifting them and placing them on him.

"Better now, mister...?"

"Daryl Dixon." He filled in.

"Better now, Mr. Dixon?" Beth asked. He looked her over, his eyebrow raised again questioningly.

"You ain't got green on now." He grunted.

"Oh, I've got plenty of green on." Beth smirked again. "You just can't see it."

A cry of outrage sounded from the other side of the bar and Beth and Daryl turned their attention towards it. Rosita stood in front of affronted man with an obviously false look of innocence on her face. Beth murmured a cute little 'oh no', before she swiveled and hopped off the stool she was planted on.

"I should go collect my friend before she gets into any real trouble." She said with an apologetic shrug. "Beth Greene, by the way. Hope to see you around, Mr. Dixon."

Daryl watched as she walked away into the crowd.

Since that night, they'd bumped into one another again and again before they'd ever decided to make their meetings intentional. Now with Beth Greene walking at his side, her hand slotted perfectly into his, he couldn't help but thinking that The Luck of the Irish had to be a real thing, because it was pure lucky he'd ever met Beth Greene.

**Another short one. I don't think I like the ending but I didn't want to leave it off at her walking away. Its good enough though, yeah? Maybe I'll tweak it some time. Reviews are always appreciated so review if you want...or something.**


	10. Apartment Building Elevator AU

**This is the first bethyl thing I ever wrote and I know its a slight bit ooc but I've never really wanted to tweak it so that's that.**

The elevator creaked and groaned beneath Beth's feet as it made its way up to her floor. She bit back a squeal of terror as it shook and she stumbled a little in the small space, bumping into the man who leaned against the wall in the corner, looking uncomfortable. Beth choked out an apology and he nodded in acknowledgement. She was terrified of the old contraption, only having taken it to avoid Zachary, the creepy asshat who never stopped hitting on her.

Suddenly, the elevator stopped. She stared at the dial at the top of the door, stuck between the fourth and fifth floor. She moved forwards to press the dingy red help button.

"Hello?" A voice came from the speaker above, making her jump.

"The elevator's stuck." Beth said in response.

"I'll call maintenance." The speaker-voice said. "Larry's real busy, though, so it may take a while. How many are in there?"

"Two." Beth squeaked.

"Larry says he'll be over to take a look in half an hour. Y'all hang tight, y'hear?"

Beth's breaths came out in shorter, quicker pants and her eyes widen. She knew this was a bad idea. She knew it. The elevator was broken. She be stuck in there forever. They wouldn't be able to fix it. Maybe, it'd drop the fifty feet into the basement. Or maybe-

"Hey." A rough voice coughed from the corner. Her eyes swiveled from where they were glued to the floor number over towards the man she bumped into before. He cleared his throat. "What's your name?"

She was bewildered he was talking to her. Beth knew him, or well, knew of him. He definitely wasn't known for his conversational skills, that was for sure.

"Beth Greene." She said shakily after a few beats. She fought to focus on him rather than their situation, but her eyes kept drifting up to those numbers, and her breathing fought to steady itself. "Yours?"

"Daryl Dixon." He replied with that deeper, soothing voice of his. She'd never heard anything like it. It was soft and kind, but with a gruffness to it, like if you struck the wrong cord it could become rough and intimidating in a second.

"Nice alliteration." Beth murmured. "Daryl Dixon. Its sweet."

He humphed for a moment, looking her up and down. His gaze warmed her head to toe. For a moment she didn't think he was going to reply, or maybe he thought she was stupid. Maybe she'd said the wrong thing. Maybe-

"Not as sweet as Beth Greene." Daryl said quietly. She stared at him for a moment, really taking him in. He was still leaning against the wall in the corner, hands stuffed into his pockets. His dark, shaggy hair fell into those shocking blue eyes that he usually kept glued to the floor. She didn't know why. They were the best eyes she'd ever seen in all of her nineteen years. He was dressed in the only type of attire she'd ever seen him in, ripped and greasy blue jeans on bottom and a cut off shirt with that vest on top. The vest with the angel wings she admired so much.

Beth looked down, suddenly self conscious of the sweet yellow sun dress and cow girl boots she'd slipped into that morning. Suddenly, she felt childish with her hair pulled back into her signature braid infused pony tail. She nearly forgot he was waiting for her to respond.

"Oh." Was all she settled on. Beth let her eyes draw back up to the numbers above the door, the arrow that was fixated between the two floors, the source of all of her current inner turmoil. She told herself to stay calm. She tried to will her breathing to stay steady, and her heart rate not to pick up, but it was futile. Her anxiety and panic was welling back up within her and her breathing came back in pants.

Suddenly Daryl was standing in front of her, taking hold of her chin and gently tilting her face up so that she would meet his eyes.

"Come on now, girl." Daryl murmured. "You breathe with me okay? In and out, in and out, jus' like that."

Beth followed the near stranger's lead, her hand straying from the clenched ball it was at her side up to rest on him, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, and the pounding of his own heart. Now that was bewildering. Why was _he _nervous?

"Good, Beth, keep breathing." Daryl said softly. "'S okay. In and out."

She followed his lead for a while, and listened to the gentle tone his rough voice took.

After a while, when she'd finally got a hold of herself, lead out of the fog by this man's voice, a small giggle escaped her, once she was calm enough to let her previous thoughts catch up to her.

"What's so funny?" He asked, his voice slightly irritated, but she could tell he was more amused than not.

"Thought I was the one having a nervous break down." Beth said quietly. "So why's your heart racing faster than mine, Mr. Dixon?"

"Just ain't so used to being so close to such a pretty girl, Ms. Greene." Daryl responded. Beth's surprise was mirrored on his own face.

"You think I'm pretty?" She asked, tilting her head and looking up at him. She started noticing more about him, like the fact he was a head taller than her, and the smooth curve of his jaw, which was covered in stubble.

She noticed the way his ears tinged red from where they peaked out from under his hair, matching the faint red on her own cheeks. He nodded jerkily before the elevator lurched upwards and she once again fell into him, though this time she laughed, and he chuckled a little strained.

The bell dinged and they both stepped off the elevator awkwardly.

"I'll walk you to your place." Daryl offered and Beth nodded with a smile. Really, they lived just across the hall from each other, but Beth still found the offer sweet. They arrived at her door and she looked up at him in a beat of silence.

"You wanna-"

"I was wondering-"

They laughed again, easier this time, and looked one another in the eye, blue on gorgeous blue.

"You wanna go out some time?" Daryl tried again.

Beth grinned. "As long as we don't go anywhere near an elevator."

"Deal." He agreed with a smile. They seemed so much easier to come by with this girl. They arranged the date and time, quickly exchanging numbers despite the fact they were only feet away.

"See ya, Mr. Dixon." Beth smiled softly as she opened her door and stepped in.

"Good night, Ms. Greene." Daryl replied doing the same. He waited until she closed her own door so that her dazzling smile was the last thing he saw before he closed his own.


	11. Unexpected Blessings

_**This is a prequel to a bethyl ficlet, which I'll post too. I just liked this too much not to share it. Sorry its more Merle x Beth (not in a shippy way okay) but I'll give you more Bethyl soon. Thank you for reading, and reviews are always appreciated!**_

Beth had been to this bar far too many times this week in her attempts to drown out the pain. The aching in her chest, the pressure behind her eyes that had tears threatening to fall every second of every day, the pounding in her head from too much alcohol and too little food, it was all continuous. When she drank, it lessened. So she was going to drink. Beth could remember being really little, the times her daddy would disappear to the bar and drink for hours the same way she was doing now. So yeah, she knew it was a bad idea. A great way to hurt the family she had left. But how could she go home and see the pain in her daddy's eyes at the loss of another wife, and the loss of a son? How could she stand in front of Maggie, the one who was always so strong, and see how badly she hurt, not only over the loss of a brother and another mother, but because she felt the pain tenfold for her daddy and her baby sister? Beth didn't think she could. And despite the fact Maggie had come down here to beg her to come home, she didn't think she could. She wanted nothing more than to forget. Well actually, she wanted nothing more than for her momma and big brother to be home, safe, alive and with her. But she wasn't going to get that, never would have that again, so forgetting, she figured, was the next best thing.

She lifted her near empty glass to her lips and downed the rest of her drink as the stool beside her filled. Beth knew who it was. The man was loud and rambunctious, there was no mistaking him for anyone else. Not to mention he'd bugged her about her excessive drinking more than once since she started coming.

"Fuck girl, at this point I'm sure you've drunk more this week than I have my whole life!" Merle Dixon exclaimed as the bartender slid a beer across the counter to him. "You gotta stop this."

Beth furrowed her brow in a scowl and looked over at him. It wasn't the first time he'd advocated for her sobriety. When she asked why he was so interested in her business he just shrugged and told her a girl like her had no business staying stuck in the place she was in. She hadn't questioned him further, just emptied her glass stubbornly and had it refilled.

"Go away, Merle." She told him. She hadn't been here long. Everything was still too sharp. She didn't want to keep it that way.

"Not this time, girl." He said tipping back his bottle. "Gotta get you outta here!"

Beth didn't think she liked where this was going. She could handle, had handled, Merle being loud and joking, rough even, and giving her grins that would have made her shudder and turn away had she not had any previous base of knowledge about the man before her and knew he wasn't trying to be mean or intimidating or anything of the sort. But she did. She knew he was rough 'n mean even. Beth didn't want to field whatever it was he was doing right now. It was real close to concern if not full out concern, if you had the guts to say Merle Dixon had it in him to be concerned about anyone other than himself.

"Why?" Beth asked. "I'm an adult, and I'll do whatever I please."

"Know you will, girl, 's what the problem is." The older man told her.

"It's not a problem. Doesn't even have a damn thing to do with you." She glared. Beth wondered if Merle even fully knew why he took so much interest in her drinking.

"Fine, Greene." He sighed. "You can keep on drowning yourself in alcohol for now, but sooner or later you gotta get over it."

The door to the bar swung open calling her attention away from Merle. She was shocked to see her daddy standing in the doorway, Maggie just behind him. Hershel had sworn he wasn't ever stepping foot back into this bar. Beth was shocked to see him there, but she knew why he was there. He was there for her. She watched as he crossed the room and came to a stop in front of her. She hadn't realized tears were falling down her cheeks until he reached up to wipe them away.

"Come on, Bethy, come home." He told her and she stumbled out of her seat and let him fold her into his arms. She felt her sister join the mix and sobs wracked her body.

"I miss them so much, Daddy." She choked out as he held her.

"I know, Doodle Bug, me too." He whispered. "Me too."

It wasn't until much later, after all traces of alcohol had left her system, that she found it in her properly appreciate Merle Dixon's words, and the push he'd given her the entire time she was there. She wasn't so sure she would have left so easily without turning back if it weren't for that man. He may have been an asshole to the rest of the town, but Beth knew otherwise. He was a good man when he wanted to be, and she hoped she would have the chance to thank him one day.


	12. Of Girls and Cemeteries

_**Okay, I definitely like the prequel much better. I'm not sure this is any good at all. But whatever. Enjoy.**_

Today was the day, he decided. Today was the day Daryl Dixon would finally go to his brother's grave. Why today? Daryl wasn't sure. It just felt right, like it was time to let go. He hadn't wanted to believe it, to accept that his older brother, the only person in the entire world who had ever done anything decent for him, Merle Dixon, was gone. It had been a few months since it happened. Rick knocked on his door late one night and told him his brother was dead. Drug overdose. What a stupid, fucked up way to go. That was Merle Dixon, though.

Daryl clambered out of his truck, slamming the door behind him. Heavy, dark clouds were starting to roll in, and he supposed it was appropriate for the place, for the situation. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and started off towards the freshest of the graves, way in the back of the small cemetery. He arrived at his brother's grave quickly taking note of the bright flowers at the grave. Who the fuck would leave those there? Daryl stood quietly for a while, just staring at the inscription on the stone.

**Merle Dixon**

**1959-2013**

It said nothing more. No declarations of how great a man he was, because he wasn't. No words of how loved he was by a family. No wife, no children. Hell, no parents. He was just some asshole redneck with a baby brother he dragged along with him. Daryl clenched his balled his fists and closed his eyes against the tears threatening to fall. If he cried standing here he was sure Merle would crawl out of the ground just to kick his ass for it. He would probably kick his ass for leaving those damn flowers sitting there. _God, what the fuck._

Daryl took that moment to step back and observe his surroundings. He'd been out of it when he approached, but now he noted the little white building standing stark in the middle of all of the graves. He looked over at the graves around him, how some were really fresh, the grass not even having had the chance to grow over it. His eyes landed on the girl sitting a few feet away wrapped around herself. He noticed the flowers placed on the grave in front of her matched those in front of him. _What. The. Fuck._

He knew the girl. Of course, who didn't know Beth Greene? She was sunshine and sweetness and smiles for anyone, no matter who you were. She probably knew him. Daryl hadn't seen all that much of the youngest Greene, but she always had a kind word and a smile the few times he did run into her. Living in a town as small as theirs, you couldn't do jack shit without everyone knowing. So he knew why she was there, whose grave was in front of her. He knew. What he didn't understand was the flowers. What he didn't understand was why she was looking at him now with those bright blue eyes of her and a smile to match. He raised an eyebrow questioningly and she shrugged.

Daryl turned back to his brother's grave. They sat in silence for a while as the dark clouds ahead blew closer so they were almost on top of them. It was just as the first clap of thunder sounded in the distance that she spoke breaking their silence.

"I knew him." She tells him quietly. "He helped me once when I was having some trouble of my own. Trouble grieving."

Beth fell silent and Daryl looked back over at her. All he could think was _what the fuck_. His redneck asshole of a brother? Didn't sound right.

"Wanna know what he said?" She asked him from her place on the ground. Thunder boomed overhead as he thought it over. He could hear the rain pouring down into the streets, into the trees not too far away. Finally, he nodded. Beth grinned and laughed a little. "I didn't really appreciate it at the time, but he said 'You can keep on drowning yourself in alcohol for now, but sooner or later you gotta get over it.'"

This was crazy. She was crazy. Absolutely fucking insane. Was that supposed to make him feel better? How the hell had that made _her_ feel any better? She unfolded herself and stood up stretching before she walked towards him.

"What the fuck, girl?" He choked out. Because really, what the fuck.

"Point is, Mr. Dixon, when you care about people hurt is kinda part of the package. You just gotta make room for it." Beth said. "Get over it, so to speak."

Daryl supposed that made a little sense. Just a little. She was still crazy.

"Why'd you put those flowers there?"

"You wouldn't."

He hummed unsure of what to say. He had so many things he had come prepared to say to the ground, the stones, the sky. Yell. Just scream and let out all the frustration Merle left him with.

"Its okay to cry." Beth murmured, lifting her hand slowly to graze his arm, tracing it downwards to his hand. Daryl was surprised he didn't want to pull away as she locked her fingers between his. She squeezed his hand as the first tears fell.

_What the fuck._

"He was an asshole, but he was all I had." Daryl ground out quietly.

"Its okay to cry." Beth repeated, near drowned out as the rain moved directly above them. The cool drops fell and covered them in sheets, blended with his tears as the pair stood over the grave of the only person who ever gave a shit about Daryl Dixon. Except maybe he wasn't the only person anymore.

Daryl looked over to the small blonde who'd laid her head against his shoulder and squeezed his hand tighter. Maybe that was why today was the day. Beth Greene had been waiting for him, and even though he thought she was absolutely fucking insane, he couldn't help but think maybe Merle did do something more than just decent for him. Good, even. He gave him the chance to stand there with this girl as the rain poured down and his grief seeped out of him. He, he guessed, gave him her.


	13. Georgia Snow

**_Thank you for the favorites and the follows as well as the reviews! I hope you enjoy this one_**

The first thing Daryl became aware of was the brightness. He felt the sun's rays cover his face, dousing him in an unfamiliar bath of light. He wasn't completely foreign to waking up with the sun already making its trek across the sky, but the fact that so much of its light had found its way into the room was weird. He, more often than not, was up with the sun or at least woke to a room shaded by the curtains hanging over the window. So this was odd.

The second thing Daryl became aware of was the lack of heat. That wasn't to say he was cold, but a fundamental source of heat was definitely absent.

Beth. Beth was absent.

His eyes fluttered open and he winced at the light before glancing over at her side of their bed to confirm what he already knew. She wasn't there. This, too, was odd. It was Saturday. Their self declared lazy day. It wasn't often that either one of them got out of bed much longer than it took to retrieve food or pee on a Saturday and even that didn't usually occur before noon.

The third thing he became aware of was the near silent sounds coming from the bathroom. He could hear Beth humming to herself and settled back into bed, content with the thought that she'd be back momentarily. He listened as the door opened and felt any trace of tension seep out of him at the feeling of the bed dipping beside him.

"Daryl, you awake?" Beth asked even though he knew she knew he was. He could feel her bouncing, and knew what he'd see before he ever opened his eyes to look at her. She was like a kid on Christmas and she was glowing. Not just from the sun that filled the room, but from the excitement that lit up her eyes and brightened her smile as she looked down at him. She was fully dressed, wearing a pair of tight jeans and one of his flannels as well as a pair of thick, pink socks that covered her feet where she slipped them under her. "Come on, get up!"

His lips tugged upwards at her insistence and he lifted his hand from his stomach to entwine her fingers in his. "What the hell's got you so excited, girl?"

Her smile morphed into a grin at that and she gestured towards the window behind her where the light that had earlier woken him was flooding through, even brighter than before, he thought. It took him a moment to register why, all the sun's rays intensified by the thick sheet of white snow covering everything in addition to the flakes that still drifted lazily from the sky.

"It_ snowed_, Daryl! Look at all that snow!" She gushed enthusiastically. God, she was beautiful the way she lit up like that. "It's the most we've had in years! Gotta be at least six inches and it's _still_ comin' down."

"And?" He pressed, though taking into account her enthusiasm, and the way she was dressed, he figured he already knew the answer.

"We gotta go outside! We can make snowmen and snow angels or build forts! There's so much I'm sure there's enough for that. You'll go out with me, won't you?" Beth begged squeezing the hand that held hers. As if she didn't know he couldn't possibly deny her anything.

"Yeah, girl, I'll go." Daryl conceded sitting up. "But I ain't making no snow angels."

By the time Beth was satisfied that they'd be warm outside Daryl had donned multiple layers of shirts under a heavy jacket, gloves, a securely wrapped scarf, and a hat that Beth had tugged over his ears a moment before he stepped out into the snow. She had done the same herself. Though where he was sure he looked awkward and balky, she looked adorable. She beamed at him as she stepped outside and sunk into the snow next to him.

"What now?" He asked her. After all, he hadn't ever really done this. Growing up if he'd ever even considered playing in whatever little bit of snow had fallen, he'd had been beaten before he could even blink. That was sissy behavior and Dixon ain't sissies.

"Let's start easy. How about snowmen?" Beth suggested, tugging him forward before pulling him down on his knees next to her. She took him through the basic steps, starting with a smaller snow ball and rolling it along the ground until it grew to her desired size, and Daryl started on the next one. He placed his lump of snow on the first one Beth made and she put on the head and stepped back.

"We ain't got a carrot or buttons or nothin'. Ain't that what's supposed to go on there things?" Daryl pointed out as he stared at the snowman. Whatever Beth said in response was too muffled for him to understand and he turned to see her lying on the ground a few feet away, adjusting her scarf so it didn't cover her mouth anymore. He arched an eyebrow questioningly.

"I said it doesn't need any." She said happily as she started to move her arms and legs through the snow. He felt a familiar warmth spread through him as he watched her. She should have looked ridiculous but she didn't. She never did. "Just some stick arms, maybe."

Daryl moved to lie down next to her, careful to avoid wrecking the wings of her snow angel and stared up at the flurry of snow that fell. They were quiet, enjoying the peaceful silence. Winter brought a quiet with it that wasn't found elsewhere. Where any other time the woods around their cabin were filled with subtle sounds of nature: squirrels chattering, birds singing, leaves rustling, now it was tranquil. Not much could be heard other than the rush of the nearby creek and the pair's soft breathing. After a while he felt Beth slip her hand into his and despite the cold worming its way through the layers he wore, he could have stayed there forever just like that with the girl he loved at his side.


	14. Luck of the Irish

_**Sequel to chapter 9, St. Patrick's Day. Thank you for the favorites, follows and reviews! Always appreciated**_

Daryl knew he was lucky as hell to have met Beth Greene in that bar one Saint Patrick's Day. Luck of the Irish, they'd joked, but there were days she'd talk about how it was just fate and that they would have met one way or another. The world could have ended and they'd still have found each other, Beth would tell him, because they're meant to be together and always had been.

He watched her intently as she slipped her hand out of his and walked off the sidewalk towards the park where the last of the young children were scampering away, off towards their parent's calling voices, off away home safely before the storm hit. Beth, however, seemed to have no similar qualms. She grinned at him over her shoulder as she settled herself onto a swing and started kicking her legs.

"What are you doin', Greene?" Daryl asked, a smile tugging at his lips. He liked it when she did this. She just went off and did whatever she felt like doing in that moment, not caring who saw and what they would think. She was a whirlwind of confidence. Confidence, not arrogance. He loved it.

"Swinging." She replied as if it was the most natural normal thing in the world, swinging in a park as the rain starts sprinkling down around them, as if she did it every day. He gave her a look.

"Swing with me." She requested. As if he'd ever say no to her. He walked forwards and placed himself on the swing next to her. They were both a bit more than just a little wet now. He kicked his feet a bit awkwardly. Beth was watching him as she swung back and forth by him, and he recognized the light in her eyes. The light she got when she realized something, usually about him, usually about things he'd never done or seen or heard. Things she then made a point to fix. To make happen. "You ever swing before, Daryl?"

He scoffed a little. He wanted to say of course he'd swung before. He wasn't that deprived as a kid. But he hadn't, and he was. The kids he had hung around thought it was girly. They called any boy who dared to even sit on a swing a pussy. So he hadn't. Finally, he shook his head. Beth brushed her feet against the ground until she came to a stop next to him.

"You know how?" She asked. He nodded. It looked pretty straightforward. Just kick your legs. He could do that. She reached her hand over the space between them. "Together then?"

"Ain't that a little unsafe, Greene?" Daryl said. She just laughed and shrugged her shoulders. God he loved her laugh. He reached his hand out and folded her fingers in his. It was a little awkward at first, trying to match his rhythm to hers, but they figured it out without having to drop hands. Daryl could tell why kids liked swinging so much, the air whistling around them as they moved back and forth, flying up away from the ground and dipping back towards it before going back up and away again. He felt free, like he did when he sped down roads on his motorcycle.

Beth laughed again, drawing his attention back to the now-drenched blonde beside him. She stuck her feet out and let them graze the dirt just like she had the first time, starting to slow. Daryl followed suit, slipping his hand from hers for a moment as they stood.

"Ready to go home?" He asked and she nodded grabbing his hand again. The wind picked up as the rain started to pour down harder, thoroughly soaking the pair as they walked down the street back towards their apartment building. Not for the first time, Daryl thanked whatever deity or fate or the _Luck of the Irish_ for bringing them together.


	15. It's The Little Things

**I wrote this ****trash**** the other day I hope you ****feel as much pain as I felt thinking about some stupid shoelaces**** enjoy this**

Beth noticed long ago that her shoelaces were starting to fray and Daryl's were even worse off than hers. Stomping through muddy backwoods of Georgia seemed to have taken a toll on the strings that kept their boots tight on their feet. She knew it wasn't technically a priority, it wasn't really something essential to their survival at all, but it would be nice to find some new ones. So she kept an eye out for some.

The day she found some in a small, semi-stocked convenience store, she was ecstatic. After she was sure it was safe enough, and Daryl was back at her side, she knelt down and started to untie her boots.

"What're you doin' now, girl?" Daryl grunted, and Beth smiled a little at the hint of exasperation in his voice. She knew he didn't understand half the things she did: why she talked so much, hoped, sang, watched the stars at night, watched him at night, though neither of them ever mention that. He tried to understand, and he asked some times. She wasn't sure he'd get this either, except maybe he would.

"Our shoelaces are worn. They won't hold out too much longer." Beth said as she slipped the last of the old dirt-caked thread from her boots. She glanced up at Daryl whose expression had varied from its usual indifferent, emotionless mask. He looked understanding, almost. While he kept in mind the larger necessities for survival such as food and shelter, she was thinking about the bits of string that held their shoes on their feet. "You should change yours too."

He sat down and followed her example, unraveling the shoelaces from his boots, trying to ignore the grin she was giving him and the way it lit up her face. She grabbed the new black and white laces from beside her and threaded them into her boots, switching from a black strand to one of the white ones, before handing one of each to Daryl. He stared at her, arching an eyebrow questioning, prompting in his silent way for her to explain.

"I like them this way." Beth told him, her smile smaller now. "It's kind of stylish, I think."

"You think we'll get on the cover of Apocalypse Weekly or somethin'?" He asked and she giggled pulling an honest to God laugh from him.

"Maybe we will, Mr. Dixon." Beth teased, standing up and stuffing her old laces into her bag for later use. She marvelled for a moment at the way his lips tugged up in the smallest trace of a smile at the action until he stood and shouldered his bag again.

"Let's go." He told her and she followed him out of the store with a smile, resolving to do whatever she could to see that smile on his face again.


	16. Accidents Happen

The hands on the clock ticked and the last few minutes seemed to have stretched out for hours. The store had been quiet for a good while now, but that wasn't unusual. The first few hours after opening were always slow. That's why she was so eager for the time to pass. That and no other reason, she told herself as she sung along quietly to the song playing through the speakers overhead. Right on time the bell above the door chimed and her face lit up in a smile. The little dark haired boy walked in with a grin that rivaled her own in its brilliance. A second later that tall surly man trailed behind the child looking just as indifferent as ever.

They had a routine. Every Wednesday, the clock struck four thirty and the pair came in. The boy looked around and the three of them would talk a bit. Sometimes he would play with some of the instruments set out on display, but most of the time he browsed through the ever-growing selection of music looking for something to help him in his endeavor to expand his already huge library at home. The man would follow him, pay for whatever CD the kid chose that week, and they would leave.

"Hey Beth!" The kid waved across the store with the same enthusiasm he greeted her every other week. She set down the cases she was sorting through to wave back and start across the store until she was in front of her favorite regulars.

"Hey Ryder, Daryl." The young blonde responded to which the man grunted a hello and they started their peruse of the shelves they'd looked over a hundred times.

"Guess what Beth, Uncle Daryl said I can get two CD's this week!" Ryder told her excitedly, turning away from the discs in front of him to gauge her reaction. If there was anything that kid counted on her for, it was her ability to match his love for music.

"Did he really? That's great, kiddo, I actually just got a shipment of new artists I think you might like. You know, if your interested..." Beth told him, teased him really, because all three of them knew well he'd be interested and tell her so in a second. The kid's turned around to look at her so fast he lost his balance and Daryl snorted at Beth's subtle teasing as he rightened his nephew. She shot him a smile and felt pride flare up in her when his lips twitched slight upward in response.

"Of course I'm interested, Beth! Go get it!" The boy said, looking at her in that exasperated way kids do when adults say things that are Completely Ridiculous. One sharp look from Daryl and he added, "Please. Go get it, please."

She laughed a little and complied, promising to return in a few minutes before she disappeared into the back of the store to find the CD's she had set aside. They were perfect for the kid, she knew they would be. When she'd seen them in the catalog she usually ordered from, she thought of him immediately. Beth had no doubt Ryder would love the music she ordered.

She found the box she was looking for and picked it up when a bang and a yelp drew her attention away from the task at hand. She quickly made her way out to see what had happened, and found herself in front a guilty looking man, a tearful kid flat on his butt, and a broken guitar. She had put that one on display just that morning and it was damn expensive. Beth cringed a little at the sight of the splintered wood.

"What happened?" She asked levelly, her eyes flickering from Ryder to Daryl. Daryl opened his mouth to answer, but the kid beat him to it.

"I swear it was an accident. I tripped." He said quietly, and watching the way the child's lip quivered as he tried not to cry broke her heart. She couldn't help but let any trace of anger or worry over the broken instrument deflate. Beth ran a hand over her face and let out a sigh.

"It's okay, accidents happen." She soothed and Daryl scoffed.

"Even thousand dollar accidents?" He bit out, looking down at the guitar. Beth shot him a look and he shut up quickly.

"Yeah, even thousand dollar accidents, Daryl." She said, offering her hand down to Ryder and looking the guitar over. "Besides, I think we might be able to save this one yet. I've got friends that specialize in this kind of thing."

"That's still gotta cost money, right?" Daryl asked her. It did in fact, but she wasn't going to tell him that. They really were her favorite customers, and her store had provided her with some financial wiggle room.

"It's fine." Beth smiled up at him. She shifted her attention to Ryder and the box in her arms. "I found these, why don't you take it over to the counter and look through them?"

The boy agreed, though the enthusiasm had lessened and she knew he was still upset about the accident. Daryl huffed, watching him go and Beth looked back at him.

"What?" She asked. He met her eyes for a moment before dropping his gaze to his boots, nibbling on his thumb nail.

"I know it don't cost nothin' getting it fixed, if you even can." He told her, glancing back up at her. "Let me pay you somethin', or do somethin' for you."

They watched Ryder in silence for a few moments as she thought it over, the only sounds in the store the music playing quietly on the speakers and the clatter of disc cases as they were rifled through. An idea popped into her head and she looked at Daryl with a small smile. He just stared back questioningly. She stole herself for a moment. Once the words were out there she really couldn't take them back. She didn't think she'd want to anyways.

"Takemeonadate." Beth said in a jumbled whoosh of words. He blinked at her a few times before he spoke.

"What?" Daryl choked out.

"Take me on a date." She insisted.

"I- okay." He conceded and she smiled up at him just as the bell above the door chimed and another customer walked in.

"Okay." Beth agreed, picking up the broken guitar and moving away to greet the newcomer. She supposed if there was anything good that came from that broken guitar, it was that she had a date with Daryl Dixon, and really, she couldn't be happier.


	17. His Own Worst Enemy

_**Thank you for all the favorites and follows! It means a lot to me. Please drop a review and let me know what you think, or even give me something you'd like to see me write.**_

_His feet were pounding out the rapid rhythm of his heart as they slapped against the ground on a road that seemed to stretch out forever. The miles were growing between himself and that car, that goddamned car that came out of no where and zipped away just as quickly, destroying the allusion of safety and happiness he had made, that they had made together. It took everything he had grown to care about and any sense of hope he found and shattered it, broke it down to the smallest little pieces and then burned it to ashes just for good measure. So he ran. He ran for hours and hours after that car, after her, until he couldn't anymore. He ran until his limbs couldn't hold him up and he collapsed to the ground, closing his eyes in defeat._

_He opened them._

_That god awful sickening sterile scent invaded his senses, white tiles and walls filled his vision and he certainly wasn't in the backwoods of Georgia anymore. No, this place was worse, this is the place he really lost her._

_Maybe I could have done something._

_His own words echoed in his head, because he could have. He could have stopped her from stepping forward out from behind their line. He could have stopped her and then he never would have lost her at all. He could have._

_And then she was there. He saw it happening again, as he often did in these dreams. He saw it happening but he couldn't get to her. He couldn't stop it as she stepped away out of his reach. He couldn't move at all except to open his mouth and call out to her. He shouted her name, telling her to stop, pleading with her not to do it. He called out to her when she slipped out the scissors and Dawn reached for her gun and-_

"Daryl!"

His eyes snapped open, and he was in his bedroom again, their bedroom really. She was sitting up beside him, one hand resting on his shoulder, the other on his face, swiping away the tears that rolled down his cheeks in his sleep. Her eyes shown bright in their dark room, her face glowing in the light of the moon that spilled in through the window.

He blinked up at her, taking her in quietly, committing every bit of her to memory. Every inch of her _alive_, God she was so alive, looking down at him until she shifted and laid down to rest her cheek against his chest. He snaked an arm around her, holding her to him. This was routine. This was normal. She would shake him awake and let him hold her until he was satisfied she was real and alive and there with him and the trembling from the aftershocks of each nightmare ceased. Sometimes they'd talk, but most times they didn't. He drew in a wavering breath and she knew what he'd say before he said it.

"I thought you were dead." Daryl whispered into the darkness of the room, his voice thick and raspy. He told her this before. He told her when she had first made it to the Safe Zone, and he told her again a few times on nights like these, seeking peace of mind after that very mind had turned on him and made him relive some of the worst moments of his life.

"I know, Daryl, but I'm not. I'm here." Beth soothed, running her hand over his chest and down his arm to link her fingers into his. She squeezed and he squeezed back, pushing his nose in her hair and breathing her in. "It's okay, Daryl. I'm here."

"I couldn't stop it." He told her, his voice still shaking even after the rest of him had grown still. "You were gone."

"I'm not gonna leave you." Beth said firmly, repeating words she'd said before so long ago it seemed like it could have been another life. Where those words fell through before, they both knew they were true now. No matter what happened, they would make it back to each other. With that Daryl let sleep take him again, knowing he had Beth wrapped up in his arms ready to fight off any demons as they came. They'd do it together.


	18. Sick Day

_**Here's a short little thing I'd forgotten I had, but thanks to **_**_Moongrl088 I remembered about it. Thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews! And dropping a comment on your thoughts is always appreciated! 'Til next time._**

Beth Greene was the most stubborn girl Daryl had ever known. When she set her mind to something, it was damn near impossible to change it. She would never do anything she didn't want to and that was that. Daryl discovered quickly it was even worse when she was sick. She could be running a fever and so weak she could barely sit up, but she'd try to get up and go to work and carry on with the day as usual anyway. This was, unfortunately, one of those times.

Daryl was startled awake by the atrocious cough coming from Beth. It only took a moment for him to assess her and come to the conclusion she was sick. Her face was far paler than normal, the heat coming off of her body burned, and she looked exhausted even in her sleep. He got up and yanked the curtains shut to prevent the morning light from bothering her.

Another cough startled Beth awake with a groan. It took a few minutes before she opened her eyes. Daryl's heart ached at the sight. It was obvious she was miserable.

"Beth," he murmured softly, brushing the hair off her sweaty forehead. "Go back to sleep."

"What time is it?" She rasped and he felt worry consume him as he sat back on the bed next to her, reaching on the night stand to offer her the glass of water she kept. He helped her drink some slowly, only to have her coughing and sputtering a minute later. Daryl barely stopped himself from flinching. He hated seeing her like this.

"'S just after eight." He said, preparing to argue with her like they usually did whenever she was sick. She moved to sit up, trembling with the effort and whimpering before she gave up. "Beth, stop. Just sleep. You're too sick t' get up today."

"But I promised Maggie I'd come by and help her with her wedding plans." She protested shakily. Daryl shook his head and grasped her hand.

"I'll call her. She'll understand. You know she wouldn't want you to hurt yourself and that's what you'll do if you try to go out today." He said. Beth stared up at him weakly and he could tell she didn't want to give up. "Beth Greene, you're sick and I'm gonna take care of you."

Finally, she nodded and he sighed with relief.

Daryl spent the day tending to Beth, making sure she stayed hydrated, drinking water and eating the soup Maggie dropped by, and worked on getting her fever down. Eventually he'd lied down next to her, turning on a movie at her request, and wrapped an arm around her waist. They stayed wrapped up like that, The Little Mermaid playing on the television, and fell asleep.

They woke up the next morning and Daryl was relieved to find she wasn't burning up anymore. Of course, the only negative to that was that he had caught what she had and Beth put him back to bed just as he had done the day before.

"Daryl Dixon, you're sick and I'm going to take care of you." She echoed him with a sympathetic smile, before she went to retrieve the things she would need to care for him with one of those sweet smiles he loved so much.


	19. We All Fall Down

**_I'm working on a few requests right now but this kind of just flew out so I'm posting this now. Let me know what you think and thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites!_**

"_Daryl_!" Beth whined against his lips, pushing halfheartedly at his shoulder as he started to kiss her again. She was sitting up on their kitchen counter, Daryl standing between her legs as the early morning light filled the house. "You need to go to work. You'll be late."

He chuckled softly pulling back to take her in. She sat in her sleep shorts and one of his worn flannels, sleep tousled hair spilling messily over her shoulders, blue eyes shining up at him. She was suppressing a grin and he couldn't help it when he pecked her on the forehead, the cheek, her lips, before he pulled away.

"I'm serious. _Go_." She told him firmly, hopping down off the counter to follow him outside to his bike.

He leaned down to catch her lips once more mumbling a "Have a good day, Beth." and climbing onto his bike.

"See you later." She responded, smiling.

"See you later." He echoed.

Gut feelings were usually a telltale indicator to Daryl that something was wrong. When he was young he'd know before his pa ever darkened their doorway that he'd take a beating worse than usual, one of the ones that would land him in the hospital if he didn't hide well enough. When Merle made deals that'd get his sorry ass thrown back in jail, he'd know. He knew when places or people weren't things to get mixed up with. He knew, he knew, he knew. Except when he didn't. There was only one other time in his life that he didn't know, when he didn't feel it. That was the day he learned what flames could do. Flames weakened structures, ate everything in their way and then some. Ate items. Ate buildings. Ate loved ones. Ate lives and left people homeless and broken. Flames destroyed lives then. Flames destroy lives now.

_Sirens were blaring as police cars and fire trucks whizzed passed the small group of boys that sat on the curb of the small convenience store in their run down neighborhood. It wasn't often they had much entertainment like that. Sure cops came to their side of town all the time, trashy redneck folks like them caused trouble, but they rarely got shows like this was bound to be. They were quick to act, those kids, jumping on their bikes and riding, or in the case of a few, running, after the parade of light and sound._

_He got there last, he thought. It seemed their entire damn neighborhood had got their before he did. That little dark haired boy rounded the corner of his street and saw the smoke billowing from his house._

It happened then as it happened now.

Daryl closed up the shop for the night, kicked his bike to life, and drove off towards home, towards Beth. He didn't get very far before the sirens started behind him. He drove in their wake, half in a daze as they pulled into his neighborhood, turned onto his street. It was then that he noticed the smoke rising up from his home. His and Beth's. He pulled up and barely remembered to put down the kickstand when he noticed Beth's car still in the driveway, though Beth was no where to be found.

_"Kid? Kid, you can't go in there!" A fireman was yelling, an officer grabbed him when he tried to run towards the blazing house. He was aware that he was yelling too. He was shouting and struggling in the grasp of this stranger._

_"There's nothing we can do!" The stranger told him, holding the small boy back. It wasn't until the boy's older brother came and took the officer's job of holding the kid back that he gave up._

_ He collapsed on the ground, a human replica of the small house in front of them as the support beams gave out, any hope of a survivor dashed to hell._

"Daryl! I can't let you go in there, brother, you can't go in there!" It was Rick that was holding him back this time. It was Rick and Shane and Tyreese restraining him from running straight into that house. He knew he was shouting, he didn't know what. His ears were ringing, his vision blurring, his entire body trembling with the effort it took to not fall to the ground right then and there. "Daryl, if she's in there she..."

"If she's in there she's gone." Shane finished, not unkindly.

And that was the truth of it. If she was in there, she wasn't. The fire rose high above them and the smoke was probably visible for miles. The heat burned even from the distance they were at, yards and yards away, standing in the middle of the street. Daryl couldn't care about anything anymore as he gave up struggling and fell to his knees on the hard pavement. He failed once like this. He failed another woman he loved in this same exact way. He lost her, too.

_He lost her, too_.

Tears poured down his face, and for once he didn't give a damn who saw. Voices and noises around him smeared together. Daryl vaguely registered the sound of a car slamming on its breaks not too far away. A shadow covered him from the setting evening sun before slender arms wrapped around him from behind, arms he knew he was imagining because _she was gone._ She was inside and he lost her. He did, he knew he did. He was doomed to this kind of thing, this horrid replaying of his past, wasn't he?

"Daryl! Daryl, it's okay, I'm here." She said tightening her arms around him. He shook his head angrily. She had to be his imagination. He couldn't let himself believe it was her. It didn't make sense. "Daryl Dixon, look at me! I'm here, I'm okay. I'm _with you_!"

He looked down then at the pale arms around his waist, brought his own hands to cover hers. Felt her around him in an echo of a night in a bedroom so long ago where he poured himself out to her and she held him together like she was now. He turned suddenly, twisting awkward and quick, narrowly missing giving her an elbow to the face. His tears were mirrored on her cheeks as he hugged her desperately to him and they sobbed into one another, their house still ablaze before them.

"I'm so sorry, I was-" Beth started to explain through her tears.

"It don't matter. You're here now." Daryl choked out, face buried in her neck.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I'm here now."


	20. Bad Day

_So I still owe a few people stories but here's this as an apology for my prolonged absence. Its cute I think. Also thank you for reviews, follows, and favorites. I really appreciate the support._

Daryl had a pretty good idea of what he'd walk into the moment he saw her car in the parking lot of his building. It didn't happen often, but there were days when Beth would have a rough day and he would get home from work to find her buried under his covers fast asleep.

He kicked his shoes off at the front door next to hers and walked farther into his apartment toward his bedroom. He noted the mess that was her clothes sitting in the top of his laundry hamper, trying to imagine what could have possibly happened to create the mess of… He couldn't determine what the gooey-looking substance was and he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Daryl continued into his bedroom and found Beth just where he figured he would, tucked under his blankets. He could see the collar of his flannel sticking out of the blanket where it was wrapped up around her neck. A smile tugged at his lips as he undressed down to his boxers and slipped into the bed behind her. She responded immediately, fitting her back against his chest when he wrapped an arm around her, hand resting on her stomach.

They laid that way for a while, her sleeping and him taking in her scent and the feeling of her in his arms. This hadn't been easy for him in the beginning, but he had gotten so much better at it, the physical contact. He supposed it helped that this was _Beth_, the most kind and gentle person he had ever met, easing him into it. He knew she had done that for him. She took it slow and helped him adjust without him ever saying a word about it. She just knew. She usually did. So she was good at knowing him, but he knew her, too.

He knew the moment she woke up because he felt the tension return to her before she relaxed back into him. He lightened his hold on her when she started to squirm and turned to face him, her bright blue eyes glistening as she looked up at him in a way that pulled at his heart. Daryl pressed his lips to her forehead quickly before pulling back and waiting patiently for her to talk.

"Hey." She whispered after a few more beats of silence, her small voice and dismal smile doing nothing for the ache in his chest.

"Hey, Princess," He responded, hand pulsing on her hip. "Bad day?"

Beth nodded closing her eyes and pressing her face into his chest. He shifted his arm back around her, holding her more firmly to him.

"Better now." She breathed.

"Mine too."


	21. White Wedding

Beth stood in front of the mirror looking at her reflection, studying the way her dress shaped her hips, accenting what small curves she did have. Her makeup was light, just a brushing across her cheeks and mascara that brought out her eyes. Maggie finished her hair behind her, taking the second small braid and pinning it up in the back. The rest of her hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. She looked up in the mirror and caught Maggie's eye, and grinned at her older sister.

"You look so beautiful, Beth." Maggie said thickly as she stepped back from her sister, her hands darting up to brush away the tears that fell down her cheeks.

"Don't you dare start cryin', Maggie. We were a mess at your wedding and we don't need a repeat." Beth told her as sternly as she could manage with tears filling her own eyes. They both turned at the knock at the door, their father entering with a soft smile.

"Now don't you two start crying again or we'll never make it out of here. Lord knows Glenn barely got through the waiting you put him through, I don't think Daryl down there would do much better." Hershel said, entering the room and crossing to his daughters.

"I tried to tell her, Daddy." Maggie said and Beth laughed, swiping at the tears on her cheeks.

"You go get your dress on Mags. I'll take it from here." Hershel said diplomatically and Maggie hugged their father and her little sister once more before exiting the room leaving Beth and Hershel alone.

"Hey Daddy." She smiled up at him.

"No more crying, Bethy, it's your wedding day. You're not supposed to cry. You're supposed to be happy." He said.

"I am happy. I've never been happier." Beth said seriously. "Daryl makes me the happiest I've ever been."

"That's all that I could ever ask for for my girls." Hershel told her. "You look so beautiful, Bethy. I'm so proud of you. Your mother would have been so proud of you, knowing she raised such a strong, intelligent, kind young woman. And Shawn..."

"I thought you didn't want me to cry!" Beth complained as her tears flowed more freely down her cheeks at the thought of her mother and brother. She knew they would be proud of her. She did her best every day to make them proud.

"I don't." Hershel chuckled. "Let's fix you up and get you down there. I'm sure everyone's waiting for you now." 

The farm was gorgeous in the Spring and Beth wanted to get married there so here they were, not that Daryl minded. He liked the farm and he never thought he'd ever have a wedding to begin with so anything he got was nice. It was good just as long as they were married by the end of all this.

He stood in position at the altar out by the blossoming trees. This section of the yard was made up prettily, rows of chairs with flowers on the ends were now filled with their family and friends, the ones that were most important to them. Off to the side a ways tents full of tables were set up for the reception.

Daryl shifted nervously on his feet as he waited. He tugged at his tie a little before remembering he was messing it up. Lori had fixed it a hundred times for him already but now she was standing up over with Maggie on one side of the altar, Rick and Glenn on the other, and they didn't have time to fix it anymore. The music started playing and Daryl looked up to see Beth with one arm linked with Hershel's and a bouquet of white tulips in the other hand. She looked so damn gorgeous in her dress but the beaming smile she was giving him was what really made him feel like he couldn't get enough air in his lungs and left his chest burning. He couldn't help but smile back a little as he went to meet them at the end of the aisle.

"You take care of my little girl." Hershel told him and he nodded, a silent 'yes sir', as the man placed Beth's hand in his. He could see the slight redness to her eyes and the puffiness to her cheeks that her makeup hid well and raised his eyebrow at her. She just kept smiling while Hershel took his seat.

"Hey, Mr. Dixon." Beth breathed as he lead her to the altar, pausing for a moment to hand her bouquet off to Maggie before facing him.

"Hey, Greene." Daryl smiled a real, genuine smile when he thought about the fact she wouldn't be Greene anymore in just a few moments. She'd be Beth Dixon, _his wife,_ and the thought took his breath away again. She dropped his hand to reach up and fix his tie a little so it wasn't so far down but wasn't so far up he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Thanks." He murmured and she shook her head.

"What would you do without me?" She teased, taking his hands back into her own.

"Not be suffocatin' probably." He teased back and their friends and family laughed around them and Beth kept on smiling up at him and he smiled back down at her.

"Are you ready?" The pastor asked them and Daryl looked around at the smiling faces and then looked at her and he nodded and she nodded and he couldn't wait to be her husband. 

Beth and Daryl sat at a table under the tents hours later, catching a few minutes to themselves. Daryl sat in one chair, his legs up in another, with Beth sitting on his lap, her back pressed to his chest. She sighed happily, holding his hand and twisting the ring around on his finger with a small smile. She tipped her head back against his shoulder so she could see him better.

"This is the best day of my life." She said, kissing his cheek.

"Mine too." He responded quietly, tightening his arm around her waist as she laid her cheek against his chest, watching their guests a few yards away dancing and talking and laughing.

"I'm so glad you're mine." Beth told him tiredly, lacing her fingers through his while he rested his own cheek against the top of her head.

"'M glad I'm yours, too." He said. He couldn't imagine a better woman to belong to than Beth Dixon.


	22. Christmas Miracles

_**I'm so bad at endings. I appreciate the reviews and favorites and follows so much, so thank you. Don't forget to review and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!**_

They'd been there a handful of months and it seemed everyone had adjusted well and quick, everyone but him. It was as if the Safe Zone had made them forget what it's like out there, made them forget the people they'd lost and what they went through. They fell right into patterns of their old lives, but Daryl hadn't had a place to fall into. When it was announced that it was Christmas, his group didn't have trouble pretending Santa Claus was real all over again.

It was so loud, music blaring obnoxiously and so many people crammed into the house he shared with Rick and his kids. Rick wasn't even there, having guard duty, nor was Aaron who had left on a run while he was out hunting the day before. Either men might have made it more bearable. Everyone was dressed in green and red. Carol spent the afternoon baking and stringing lights up, and stockings and more figurines of a jolly fat man than he could count filled the place. It smelled of cinnamon and sugar and so many people kept wishing him a Merry Christmas and brushing against him as they passed with beaming faces.

He hated it.

_Never got nothin' from Santa Claus_. That was what he told her, had yelled at her so angry and she had yelled right back. It hurt so bad to think about her. He tried so hard not to and yet every day he brought himself to the same place filled with regret and anger and sadness for the girl he lost not once but twice. His fault. _Maybe I could've done something_. But he didn't. He didn't and she was gone.

Daryl hadn't ever truly understood the pain she felt when she tried to take her life until the day he stood in that hallway. He had tried before, tried so hard over those months he got to know her to understand what could take that girl's light and twist it up so bad and hide it away so she couldn't see it anymore, but he never could. He knew pain. He knew self hatred and had had more than enough hatred towards others and the world in general in his lifetime, but despair that deep? He hadn't understood it until he lost her. He didn't understand it until he saw her shot just feet in front if him. He didn't understand until he felt her blood on his face, tasted it on his lips. Then he fully got it. He understood what it was like to truly lose your light and not have a reason to push on. He wasn't there for himself anymore. He was there for his family.

A clash from the next room pulled him out of his head and he shoved himself off the wall he'd been leaning against, and made for the door. He couldn't stay there anymore with so many people laughing and smiling like everything was fun, like she wasn't missing. She_ is_.

She was.

He stepped out into the cold, snowflakes drifting slowly to the ground adding to the rest of the snow that clung there by some miracle. A white Christmas like people used to sing about. His thoughts drifted back to her and he huffed angrily as he walked, willing them to change direction again.

He heard the clanging of the gate up ahead as it rolled open and shouts of the people on guard duty, Rick's voice in particular pulling him closer to the commotion until he was just a few feet away working to process the situation in front of him. It couldn't be real.

"Jesus Christ." Rick chuckled, disbelief evident in his voice as the gate was shut behind the small blond woman.

"Rick!" She said, her voice with nearly the same amount of surprise. God, her voice. He didn't think he'd ever hear it again, so soft and sweet.

"Beth." Her head snapped in his direction and he was already in front of her before he made the conscious choice to speak let alone move. Her eyes widened and she threw her arms around him with a whimper resembling something like his name and buried her face into his neck. He held her against him hard, the tears streaming down his cheeks were mirrored on hers.

He couldn't tell how much time had passed before they heard more voices off behind them, what seemed like hours was probably more like minutes and Daryl assumed Rick had gone to find the rest of their family. Beth pulled back with a sniffle, face red and eyes puffy from a mixture of crying and the cold, and she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Daryl." She smiled up at him and his chest ached all over again as she reached up and swiped at his cheeks.

"Missed you so bad, Greene." He responded leaning into her touch.

"Missed you too."

He guessed he couldn't say he never got nothin' from Santa Claus anymore 'cause there wasn't any way to describe her but a damn Christmas miracle.


End file.
